The Relay
08:46am [Standard Earth Time]
Saturday 14th February 2185
Cronos Station
The Illusive Man's Office
Rich orange light beamed through the reinforced glass viewing window of the darkened office aboard the Illusive Man's Cronos Station. The source of the light was a red giant-class M star, giving off its final rays of light. The semispherical edge of the burning sun filled the entire lower half of the window, its brightness dominating but not completely obscuring the field of stars behind it.
The scene captured everything that the Illusive Man believed about the universe; it was beautiful, glorious, and yet deadly.
the Illusive Man himself stood gazing out of the window at the bright star. He was perfectly relaxed, with a cigarette in hand; smoking had made a significant comeback since cures had been found for illnesses such as cancer that had plagued the 20th century; however, many humans were still disgusted by such an act (the stigma had not yet left their collective memory).
He was dressed sharply, in a tailor-made black suit with an open collar. His hair was a mousy-brown colour, turned that way from the exposure to the star's ultra-violet rays.
A noise from behind him caused the Illusive Man to turn expectantly. As he expected, the three-dimensional image of council SpecTRe Commander Shepard stood in the circular quantum entanglement communicator that he had had built (for a particularly high price). Its partner was aboard the Normandy SR-2, the starship he had generously given to the SpecTRe as well as weapons, a loyal crew and another chance at life that had set Cerberus back billions.
Shepard was dressed for battle, in full N7 combat armour which was equipped with a personal shield generator.
"Shepard!" greeted the elusive head of the pro-human black ops group shortly.
"I wish I had more information for you. I don't like you heading through that Relay blind, but we don't have much choice," continued the Illusive Man, quietly tapping his cigarette with his thumb.
"I'm not going alone," reassured the Commander, gesturing with his thumb behind him to the rest of the Normandy (that was hidden from the Illusive Man's view). "I've got some of the galaxy's best working with me. If we stick together, we'll make it."
"I knew we brought you back for a reason; I've never seen a better leader," a rare compliment from the Illusive Man. "Despite the danger, it's a great opportunity; the first human to take a ship through and survive."
Even through the pixelated quantum communicator, Shepard could see the shine in the not-so-human eyes of the humanity-first leader.
"There's room on the Normandy if you wanna tag along," Shepard said disingenuously.
"A tempting offer, but I'm afraid I must decline," replied the Illusive Man seriously. "The front line is not my place.
"I appreciate the risk you're taking; regardless of your opinion of Cerberus, of me, you are a… valuable asset: to all of humanity. Be careful, Shepard; we only get one shot at this," finished Cerberus' leader, pushing a button on his holographic console to end the call.
the Illusive Man turned, and stood gazing at the burning star behind him. As he took a long drag on his almost burnt-out cigarette, he wondered if he would ever see that man alive again.
Commander Shepard watched as the image of the Illusive Man slowly faded to black; the three-dimensional holograph then slid back into place on the floor. Shepard turned, and as he left the communications room, the conference table in the centre slid effortlessly back into place from the floor, once again sporting an orange hologram of the Normandy SR-2.
"Approaching Omega 4 Relay," stated Jeff Moreau formally. "Everyone stand by."
"Let's make it happen," ordered Commander Shepard, standing right behind the pilot's chair on the bridge. Through the Normandy's window, and through the eerie blue of the Doppler Effect, he noted the ominous red glow of the Omega 4 Mass Relay. Omega seemed a fitting name for it; it was the ancient Greek's final letter.
"Aye, aye," confirmed 'Joker', sliding his fingers this way and that across a multitude of orange holographic controls.
"Reaper IFF activated," announced the blue dome that was EDI, the Normandy's Artificial Intelligence. "Signal acknowledged."
"Commander!" Shepard's earpiece buzzed as Jacob Taylor's voice came through from the Armoury. "The drive core just lit up like a Christmas tree!"
"Drive core electrical charge at critical levels," EDI stated coolly.
"Rerouting!" Joker called as his beloved vessel zoomed on an automated path towards the hulking Relay. It flew alongside the Relay, gathering shockingly red energy from the Relay's core. With a slight pinging noise (amazing as sound waves cannot travel though space), the Normandy jumped to what sci-fi movies of the past may have called "hyperspace" or some such nonsense.
Unlike other Relays, however, this one was different. The journey could be felt, the speed of the ship visible through the windows. Shepard tightened his grip on the back of the pilot's chair.
"Brace for deceleration!" warned EDI.
The ship rather suddenly slowed. It was no longer beside the Omega 4 Relay; rather, they were somewhere else entirely. There was a massive amount of debris.
"Oh shit!" yelled Joker, yanking his hands up and back toward him, pulling the Normandy into an ascent to avoid said debris. The Normandy climbed, until it was completely above most of the wrecks.
Joker gasped in relief. "Too close!"
Shepard stared out of the viewing window. A star was eclipsed by black holes on a horizon of wrecked starships; it was beautiful yet terrifying.
"These look like the ships that tried to make it through the Omega 4 Relay," pointed out Joker. "Some look… ancient…!"
And indeed, most starships had once belonged to older generations: asari, salarian and turian scout ships were laced in amongst ships of even older origin; some would have been prothean, and others older still.
"I have detected an energy signature near the edge of the accretion disk," stated EDI.
"It has to be the Collector Base," thought Shepard out loud. "Take us in for a closer look; nice and easy."
The expert helmsman steered the ship gently towards the largest structure, a rock-like space station that was sure to be the Collector's Home Station.
Unbeknownst to them, several mechacyclopian creatures watched their progress from within the debris field. Crackling with electronic menace, they took off, following the human vessel.
"Careful, Jeff, we have company," announced EDI in an almost caring way; impressive, considering she was a computer.
Joker - and Shepard - both glanced up at the rearview camera attached to the back of the Normandy. The ocular machines launched a volley of deadly lasers from its single lens.
"Taking evasive maneuvers!" announced Joker.
The Normandy began to pull up once again. The Oculuses followed with ease. They danced in front of the ship.
"Now they're just pissing me off!" cried the helmsman.
The Normandy quickly fired two shots whilst barrel-rolling. Two Oculuses exploded. Several still remained, priming their lasers once again.
"EDI, take these bastards out!" ordered Joker angrily as a laser slid down the side of the ship.
"Let's hope our new armour holds," said Miranda, who had crept up to the bridge without notice from the occupants.
The ship shook violently. A few small explosions sounded from the lower decks.
"They want another round?!" questioned Joker defiantly. "C'mon girl, let's give it to 'em!"
The Normandy swooped and dodged the incoming lasers. Some struck the underside of the ship. However, most were successfully avoided. The Normandy banked, and did a sharp u-turn. Now it was headed straight for the Oculuses. Several shots from the cannons destroyed most Oculuses. However, one Oculus fired its laser at the base of the ship, searing a hole in the cargo bay area. It zoomed straight inside the ship.
"Alert! Hull breach on the engineering deck!" warned EDI.
"It's in the cargo hold!?" confirmed Joker from a glance at a holographic layout of the ship.
"Joker! Get them the hell off our tail!" Ordered Shepard, frustrated. "EDI! Vent the damn hold! Now!"
"Error: The cargo bay is damaged and thus not secure, Shepard. Doing so would compromise the structural integrity of the entire deck." Responded EDI.
"Crap," Shepard said, facepalming hopelessly for a minute, before grabbing the intercom. "Deck 4! Deal with that damn intrusion!"
Urdnot Grunt grinned ferociously to himself as he secured his krogan battlehelmet to his armour. An opponent that size, up-close and personal, with its array of lasers: a challenge to rival that of his Rite. As he slapped his personal krogan shotgun to his back, he stormed over to the window to get a better look. The mech was gigantic, about the size of that Geth Colossus on Haestrom; another kill he and his battlemaster were proud of. A kill this size…
The Oculus opened fire on the inside of the ship. Its laser seared around the edge of the hold, cutting through the starboard hold. Objects flew out through the now-disintegrated window; Zaeed was nowhere to be seen.
How dare this machine strike out at the Battlemaster's ship, thought Grunt angrily. This machine deserves to be punished…
Grunt let his contained fury go; he felt the hot, prickly sensation as he released his rage.
The tank-born pounded his fist against the glass of the window, in the selfsame place he had headbutted in a fit of rage previously. The window cracked more; he punched it again, and again, until the window smashed and shards rained onto the deck below. With a battle cry to make the best turian warriors fearful, Grunt leapt out through the frame, bearly registering the sound of the port-side cargo door sealing and the rush of the room depressurizing. He landed with a heavy thump in the main hold; he charged at the Oculus, smashing into it with his shoulder. The Oculus reeled, and turned towards its new assailant, only to receive a krogan fist in its lens. It whirred audibly as its visual feed was lost. The Oculus gained height, levitating itself and the krogan. Grunt was hanging by his fist as he pulled his shotgun off his back, and unloaded a round into the Oculus. Severely damaged, the Oculus mustered up more of its laser. Grunt was flung back, slamming into the wall at the speed of a laser. Grunt fell to the floor, groaning in pain. He got to his feet, and realised he had lost his shotgun; no matter. He was about to charge again when a blinding flash of orange light shone out from the side of the machine.